Baby's response to Turkey Day

my favorite part is the eyebrow raise after the first bite and the full body shakes from the third bite and on!!

Thankfulness, Gratefulness and Remembering I have to say Goodbye

Of course, this holiday always brings to mind the things I'm most thankful for. But, I'm feeling this great sense of gratitude this year....and it almost overflows into something not good. These things I'm so grateful for become things I can not live without. But, my husband is leaving for 13+ weeks. My children are growing up and they are only mine for such a short time. Our brisk, sunny fall days are turning colder, bitter and gray.

My mood seems to be a little more somber this Thanksgiving/holiday time, although I'm still very happy ~ So happy at what we have right now. I laugh with those of you listening to the holiday tunes I chose (they are pretty mellow!). But, today, I'm also preparing for the letting go. And in preparing, all I'm saying is I'm giving myself a healthy reminder that I will need to let go.....and be aware of the pain to come. Maybe, in preparing, I'll be able to somehow turn this pain into something beautiful and thrive there in those moments as well.


I'm thankful for.....fall and this year's very long and graceful turn toward Winter.






I'm ready for Winter. But, I wasn't two weeks ago!


I'm thankful for loving family. It is love to ask the hard questions and show your concern.


Cam addressing my family's concern/worry for our future. This began simply with the question, "Why join the Navy?" and ended with every possible philosophical angle discussed. We are thankful for both the sharing of concerns and also the support of our decision.



I'm thankful for story time. Grandpa is a great storyteller, sharing The Big Snow with Finn and Ally.




I'm thankful for Tomboys....








....who aren't afraid of a great, big, pink princess party!






We will see how she feels about pink when she's older!


I'm thankful for handmade sweaters with star buttons. Thanks, Jan!


So, thankful for Mr. Happy Baby


I'm thankful for bonding...

....and the love of our families and friends both near and far during these last few months. We love you and miss you!


I'm sooooo thankful for chub, rolls and just general healthy baby blubber( especially displayed in the new header above!).



They are here! I'm thankful for Shutterfly!




Sorry for the Christmas spoiler, but I believe you all knew they were coming anyway!



Holiday dresses....




And the precious thankfulness I feel with baby Eric. He must be the happiest baby ever born to mankind. I just parade him around the house, bringing him into my mom's room just so she can look at him. My heart just explodes with such love and joy. He is why I also am preparing myself for the letting go. I know I have two other children and don't get me wrong here, but I'm having a lot of trouble ever believing that I can't keep Eric forever and ever in my arms. The fact that I don't have this control started scaring me. I want that! I want him forever. I need him. and yes, I do feel this way with all three!



he makes my day so many times....







I'm thankful that Christmas is around the corner.

Although, my head has not been into the shopping too much.


Only a few more days until....

Cam flies back East. I'm looking so forward to our date tomorrow night to celebrate his accomplishments and to share our vision for this next chapter in our lives together. And here again, I'm holding on too close. I have to be okay with letting him go.... I'm letting you go. And, yes, I love you so and want you to hold me forever. I'm so thankful for you!

Congratulations Camlon!

Here's to the next 8 years!

















I, Camlon Rooke, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the order of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.






As we leave the office, Finn says, "But Mommy. Where's the ship?"

I smiled.

"Oh, you'll see them soon enough."

Changes

it's funny how my interests change! as I creep through the check out line at some grocery store, i'm less drawn to the magazines about hollywood, tv stars, beauty tips and fashion, but I do have this incredible magnetic force, pulling me to the cottage living, family fun and anything with food on the cover!

I've also taken up a hobby that I don't think I ever thought I'd do, let alone be interested in.


I'm making it for Ally and hope to be done by Christmas.

another change: there is really no need for a pocketbook of this size to be in my possession. Actually, I could get away with it when I'm out with Cam and he's got his man purse with him. Then, I'm all set. He is always prepared for any MacGaver type situation out there! But, I am going to finally say goodbye to my pocketbook from those good old college days. The cute little black thing that holds a wallet, keys and a cell phone if you organize those items just so. If any one wants it, I think it will be going on ebay sometime this week.


11 days left before Cam takes off. What a ride these past 4 months have been!

all falls into place

sometimes it feels like life is a puzzle. everything just doesn't make sense until the last few pieces find their homes and I have this moment of,
'wow! it's all coming together. this is where i'm supposed to be. this is the way to walk ahead.'

and then, suddenly, there is a new puzzle. The box is ripped open, the pieces are dumped onto the table, the wonderment begins anew.

during these last few months, a lot of the stress for our family has rested on Cam. What does he want to do? Will that even work out? How will he provide for the family? How will he also do something that is fulfilling? How will he answer the questions from loved ones ~ are you making the right choices??

Apparently, I took the aloof role and just let all those questions fly past me like a road sign on the highway. 'Ah, Whatever. you know, all my puzzle pieces are a jumbled mess on the table, but hey, that's okay. I'm still working like a lab chimp, getting as many pieces together as I can. And one day, they will all be in place. and it will all make sense. But until then, nothing's gonna bother me.'

so, here we are. The road ahead seems to be clear. We don't have everyone's blessing. We are scared of what joining the military entails for a family. But, Cam knows that this is a calling that many men before him have answered. Small things are coming together. A friend from elementary school just moved to the same base where Cam will be and her husband has the same job! I actually will already have a friend when we move out East again in February. That's a small blessing that means so much.


It's only a matter of days before Cam will be leaving. Someone, who is the coolest ever, sent us $100. And I convinced Cam that this gift just had to be spent! We were so tight (not cheap : ) )with the budget, this would let us all relax a bit and enjoy spending a few bucks! Here's the shopping spree highlights! The pictures really aren't that great, but we want to document this special day for the family! We really did have fun!
Our first stop:

It took Cam awhile to loosen up the purse-strings. The kids each picked out one book, and he was having a hard time with that. He didn't want them thinking they could get something every time we went to a store. which is true. well.....this was a shopping spree day, right??!! I was beginning to wonder how the rest of the day would go. But, you know what! After those first few dollars were spent, Cam really began to enjoy...can I say it.....shopping!



I could be alone in this, but I think it should be a crime to hold onto gift cards for longer then one month! Some of those gift cards we've had for......are you ready..... 3 YEARS!!!!



We had lunch at Hickory Park. I guess there is such a feeling as eating too much meat. That sampler plate had Cam reclining the rest of the day. Ally threw a fit in the bathroom b/c she is (hopefully not anymore!) terrified of automatic flush toilets!! I don't blame her ~ she's heard some pretty loud ones! But, I was in the stall with her for at least 20 minutes (she's screaming mind you), and finally I actually sat behind her on the seat while she went! Victory!! Although, the staff and patrons waiting outside the bathrooms must have wondered what I was doing to make her scream. Who would believe me if I said, "she's so afraid of the flushing noise!" I'm glad I was patient and I'm so proud of her for overcoming her fear. Such a small thing, but it was a neat moment between us.



we got some cool winter boots for the kids.



art supplies! Yay! I've been making a wish list of these!!



our Border's purchases!



some white floods for me.



Cam and his new watch. we had to throw a cute baby into the picture. why such a big grin with a watch at his neck I wonder?

we took the kids....



They loved it!



Ally ditched her little metal helper...



she crashed a lot, but didn't seem to mind!! She got right back up again!



There was a gorgeous sunset at the park.....but the family photo-op wasn't really happening!



Here's Cam after we gave up getting a perfect shot! Back to playing everyone!




We've also been going for a lot of walks.




The neighbor's pond...




We've been here for 2 1/2 months now. The weather has just been amazing. We had a nice trip to a state park last weekend and enjoyed a little picnic and wading through the creek. It probably would have been a bit more beautiful if we'd gone before the leaves fell!!!







I've been paying a lot of attention to Ally lately. Her language skills are flourishing and her imagination is in full bloom.



One night, she screamed from a bad dream and when I came in to comfort her, she said, "My microwave is broken." It was spoken with such devastation. I tucked her in and comforted her, but I was laughing in the inside!!








We are enjoying as much as we can right now as a family. Each day passes just like the one before it, yet new things are being learned every day. Finn is slowly learning to read and he begins preschool Monday. Ally is fully potty trained (she was not when we got here!) and is interacting with Finn's imaginative play every day. And can you guess what baby is up to...

It's blurry! He's so quick....Since coming to Iowa, Eric has started consistently sleeping through the night, eating foods and he's starting to sit on his own a little! We think he might even be figuring out how to say da-da, ma-ma to the correct people.....but that is probably in the very early stages!

Kids are up from naps and dinner time is rolling around. It's time to be mommy again.